


I am the Captain of my Soul

by Circe_Witch



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe, Female Harry, Female Protagonist, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-13
Updated: 2016-06-14
Packaged: 2018-07-14 22:08:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,650
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7192799
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Circe_Witch/pseuds/Circe_Witch
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Euphemia Lily Potter always knew that she was different so it wasn't much of a surprise for her to receive a letter to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. But what the wizarding world expects of their savior isn't what they get. She is vicious, manipulative, slightly amoral, and only loyal to those she deems worthy. She isn't going to be a pawn in anyone's game. And anyone who tries is going to end up regretting making her their enemy.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> DISCLAIMER: NONE OF THE CHARACTERS OF HARRY POTTER BELONG TO ME. THE HARRY POTTER SERIES ARE THE WORK OF THE AMAZING J.K. ROWLING AND I MAKE NO MONEY FROM THIS.

Euphemia Lily Potter of Little Whinging, Surrey, walked quickly through the suburban neighborhood in which she lived. She had to get back to her relative's house to cook dinner before Vernon came back from work. 

 

From the day that she had been left on the doorstep in the dead of night as Petunia always complained about to the day her life changed, Mia, as she called herself, knew that she was odd. Strange things happened around her which set off her relatives into anger, rage, disgust, or all of the above. This would inadvertently make them throw her in her cupboard without food for the day (or week) and she would be let out in time for school so as not to make the neighbors suspicious.   
 

Yes, she lived in a cupboard. Why? Because the Dursley’s didn’t want her to contaminate the same air as them and their precious son. This had been her world, with only the spiders for company, until they let her out to attend school for the first time at age five.   
 

This continued for years and in that time, Mia wondered why the Dursleys kept her when it was obvious that they despised her very existence. But they did. Though they didn’t treat her kindly. She was doing most of the household chores from the age of five and had taken over cooking from Petunia by age seven. She went to school just like Dudley but was punished for doing better in classes than him because in the minds of the Dursleys she obviously cheated if she got grades that high (All A’s if you were wondering). 

 

The punishments still continued because she refused to surrender something that she was obviously good at just because Dudley didn't have the brains or sense that God have a goose. Petunia had slapped her heard enough for her to taste blood just for saying that in her presence. Quickly followed by shoving her in the cupboard for her longest punishment yet. A week had passed in the interim. 

 

But Mia didn't care. She would speak how she wanted and if it offended the sensibilities of the horse, the walrus, and the baby killer whale, then too bad for them. The only opinions that mattered to her were those of her dance teacher, Madam Brandt, and the school librarian, Ms. Hamilton. Mia excelled in Ballet and Madam Brandt believed that with the proper preparation Mia would be able to make a career out of it. And if she applied for a scholarship to a performing arts school, she might even be guaranteed entry. 

 

She had first joined the classes offered as an elective at St. Grogory's on a whim. The Dursleys didn't care how she did in the "wishy-washy arts" as Vernon termed it and Dudley never set foot in that part of the school ever since his disastrous attempt to learn the piano. The idiot had smashed it to pieces for not doing what he wanted it to do. The Dursleys had to pay a lot to get the school to not expel their precious little "Diddy-kins". 

 

Mia usually hid in the Little Whinging Public Library or the school library from her Dudley and his gang. They never set foot in the place so she would have hours upon hours to herself until she had to return to Privet Drive. Ms. Hamilton was a kind woman and taught her French when she expressed an interest in learning a new language. Quickly moving through the lessons she could now hold a decent conversation with any native French speaker, though her accent needed a bit of work. She was also taking Latin as a language elective and doing just as well. 

 

Mia was very short and skinny for a child of ten. She had somewhat matted dark red hair (so dark that it was almost black) that came down past her shoulders, bright emerald green eyes, and pale delicate skin that wouldn’t look out of place on an English rose. In short, she was a beautiful child, though her relatives seem to make it their life’s mission to make her as ugly as possible. 

 

She was never given much time to take a bath or shower in the morning, never given enough food to keep her healthy, and never bought any clothes that actually fit her. The ones she wore were hand-me-downs from her cousin Dudley that hung off her frame. The boy was a miniature baby whale in the making and Mia knew he would only get larger as he grew older. 

 

He and his gang of idiots seemed to revel in tormenting and hurting her while outside and inside the house. They chased her in their favorite game of Euphemia Hunting, beat her up when they could, and chased away all the children in school who would have likely become her friends. Mia knew that he was doing this on his parents' orders because they seemed to think she should never be happy. 

 

And they succeeded. So much so that not one child her age or close would come within five feet of her or talk to her during school. Lunch tables mysteriously filled up when she was in the vicinity and she was always partnerless during assignments. 

 

What they failed to realize was that Mia didn't care. She didn't care that her relatives hated her, that none of the children would be her friends, or that no one had ever noticed she had been abused. All because she something that the Dursleys could never take from her; her ability to speak with snakes and control the minds of animals. 

 

If she concentrated hard enough Mia could make them do what she wanted. She was able to speak with snakes and they in turn warned her when Dudley or his gang were in the area. She spent much of her time with them in the forests behind the neighborhood, weaving between rocks, climbing trees, and wading her feet in the hidden pond. 

 

Snakes were kind and clever and they never lied to her about anything. She learned so much from them. 

 

It was good that the Dursleys never knew about this because they would have blown a gasket under moments.   
 

What really seemed to set them off the most was her ability to heal so quickly that the bruises, cuts, and broken bones they gave her disappeared within days if not under a week. Every time she healed quickly from bruises that Dudley gave her in school or cuts that Vernon gave her after a beating, she was sent to her cupboard without food. She went hungry most nights and learned to steal from the fridge or pantry when she could. 

 

But she didn’t do anything extraordinary until the day she teleported to the school roof when she was eight years old. That was the day she began to control and hone her accidental magic. She didn’t know this was magic and believed this to be some otherworldly ability that had surfaced in herself to protect her from the Dursleys. 

 

The Dursleys, who clearly believed that anything not ordinary, not  _normal_ , shouldn't be allowed to exist, should be removed so as not to taint their perfectly normal lives. Though why they continued to keep her when she was clearly shown to be out of the ordinary was something that continuously pulled at Mia's brain. The question was always in the back of her mind when she honed her telekinetic ability to pinpoint accuracy, able to move multiple projectiles at the same time. 

 

It wouldn't be answered until she turned eleven and a giant of a man would come to her and deliver a letter inviting her to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. All her questions would be answered. 

 

But that was far in the future, a future that would come to be in a few hours time as she was taken from the hands of her abusive relatives by the police. For Vernon had attempted to kill her that same day. 

 

\----------------------//----------------------//----------------------//---------------------- 

 

Grunnings Drill Company based in Surrey was not a major powerhouse like some others. But it boasted a strong work ethic, low turnover rates, and the company itself had five branches all over the British Isles.   
 

So when the time came to promote someone to the post of Assistant Manager, because Old Mr. Turner had decided to retire in his last years and spend more time with the grandchildren, the entire Board convened. Candidate upon candidate were brought up and discarded. Some showed promise and were placed in a pile for further study.   
 

When the subject came to Vernon Dursley, all the Board members were in agreement. The man was not fit to be given command.   
 

Over the near decade that Vernon had worked at Grunnings, the man had made quite a number of sales and his work ethic was one that his fellow colleagues agreed to be quite strong. But Vernon Dursley was not a people person.   
 

In the time he had worked here, there had been an unusually large number of complaints by current and former secretaries because the man had yelled at them, sexual harassment complaints that had been mysteriously settled out of office, and complaints by female colleagues that they had been the victims of sexist comments by the same man.   
 

The few members of the Board that were female immediately called for his application to be thrown out, citing that if the rest of them were dumb enough to give Mr. Dursley the promotion, the men would regret it. Heading their warning, as he had a spitfire for a wife who really would make him regret it, Old Mr. Grunnings immediately threw the applications into the no pile and they moved onto the next one.   
 

When they finally made their choice and announced so a week later, they neglected to notice that Vernon Dursley turned a rather unhealthy puce. The new Assistant Manager was his colleague, his female colleague that it. Her name was Irene Walters, and she had both the skill at sales and the people skills that Vernon lacked. She was also one of the several women who had lodged a complaint about Vernon's sexist remarks.   
 

Vernon hated and despised everything about her because according to him, women weren't meant to work. They were expected to be housewives and mothers while the head of the family, i.e. him, were the ones who actually went out and brought money to the family.   
 

So after work, rather than go home, Vernon made a stop at the local pub and proceeded to get pissed on booze until his inhibitions were shot. It was then that he realized who was actually to blame for his misfortune of losing the possible promotion. 

 

But rather than shelve the blame at himself because of his poor skills, Vernon's mind immediately went to the unnatural creature that he and his family had been forced to house under their roof.   
 

His niece by marriage, the unnatural freak, the demon that had ruined their formerly perfect normal lives. Euphemia Lily Potter.   
 

So, Vernon began to plan on how to get rid of the unnatural freak and remove the bad luck that it seemed to bring to everyone in the house.   
 

In his alcoholic state, Vernon suddenly remembered the shotgun that he had stored in the closet of the bedroom that he and his wife shared. It had been given to him by his father during his older teenage years for gaining an entrance to Smeltings. 

 

Had put it out of his mind and hidden it over the years after Petunia had thrown a fit over having it in the house. What she didn't know wouldn't hurt her he had decided and placed it behind his rather large number of suits.   
 

It would be the perfect way to get rid of the freak, Vernon decided. A bit messy but he could hire someone to clean up after if needed. And Petunia would be happy. Which was always a plus. And maybe they could even use the cupboard to store something once everything that was in there was trashed. 

 

Plan ready, Vernon threw back the last glup of his beer and a twenty pound note onto the bar before waddling away towards his car.  It didn't even occur to him that driving while he was drunk was a bad idea. 

 

Unfortunately, Vernon managed to make it back to Privet Drive, stumbling up the stairs, with enough brainpower to grab the railing so he didn't fall. He tore up the closet until he found the box and grabbed both the gun and a few bullets, spilling most onto the floor because his hands were clumsy. 

 

Even more unfortunate was that Mia had made it back to Privet Drive soon after Vernon, followed by Petunia and Dudley.    

 

\----------------------//----------------------//----------------------//---------------------- 

 

The moment she stepped through the door Mia knew that something was wrong. It wasn't like there was anything glaringly obvious or out of place within the house. On the contrary, this was the most peace that she'd had in months. Neither Dudley nor Petunia were back from London yet and it looked like Vernon was back but decided to keep to himself for the time being. She glanced at the car in the driveway which was parked crooked.  

 

 _So he's drunk. Wonderful_. 

 

Mia closed the door and walked to her cupboard to put her things away making sure to check around her. He'd thrown a plate at her head once last year just for being there. Petunia had taken Dudley out and left her to his anger. The bitch. 

 

Perhaps it was the charge of something through the air that made her alert or the stillness of the house. Because when she heard the click of the shotgun, she threw herself to the side just as the bullet went to the wall where her head had just been. 

 

 _What the hell??!!_  

 

Mia rolled and pulled herself up just as Vernon level the gun at her again. She sent a small burst of power and the shot went wide, this time putting a hole in the ceiling. 

 

"What the hell are you doing you idiot?! You could have killed me!" Another burst and the gun smashed against his face and his nose broke with a crunch. Vernon fell back with a howl and the gun clattered to the floor next to him. 

 

He clutched his nose to stem the bleeding, his beady little eyes dark with hatred and pain. 

 

"Tryin' to get rid of you, you freak!" He slurred and tried to get up before falling back down. "You 'an your freakishness! It cost me my promotion at work!" 

 

She looked at him in disbelief. How the hell did he think he was going to get away with this? The gun had his fingerprints all over it and no doubt the entire neighborhood had heard the shots. She didn't know about the police, but the fact that he'd tried to shoot a child would probably take precedence over whatever it was that he was trying to blame her for now. 

 

A moment later she heard the beginning of sirens coming from outside. One of the neighbors must have called.  _How thoughtful of them._  

 

"You've gone mad!" She snapped out. "The alcohol's finally gotten to you hasn't it? What made you think that anyone would believe that rubbish?! They'd toss you in jail and good riddance too." 

 

She was so angry that she was seeing red. How dare the fat walrus blame her for something that was clearly his fault! She knew what he was like and no doubt treated his colleagues the same. They must have gotten tired of his stupidity and chucked him. No doubt his bosses felt the same. 

 

A twitch of her fingers and the gun flew into her hands. But rather than shoot Vernon, Mia grabbed the barrel of the gun and swung the handle at Vernon with all her might. There was a  _CRACK_  and he dropped back in unconsciousness. Mia stared at him while breathing a little hard from the excursion. God that had felt good. She'd been wanting to do that for years. 

 

She dropped it to the floor with a clatter as soon as she was sure he wouldn't be waking up and wiped her hands on her ratty t-shirt in disgust. Touching that thing made her skin crawl. 

 

Making sure that she herself wasn't hurt, Mia walked back to her cupboard and grabbed her bag, emptied it of what she didn't need, and grabbed a  _Lord of the Rings_  book stuffed full with bills from doing other students' Maths and Science homework, and the notebook with the phone numbers and addresses of Madam Brandt and Ms. Hamilton. They were the only ones in the whole town who didn't believe Petunia's rumors about Mia being a delinquent and actually helped her when she needed it. 

 

Maybe they would talk to the police if she asked. 

 

She zipped it up and tossed it over her shoulder before walking outside just as the police cars screeched to a stop. She started talking when the first officer got out.  

 

"My name is Euphemia Potter. My Uncle by marriage, Vernon Dursley, just tried to shoot me in the head with a shotgun." Mia quirked a thumb back to the house. "He's unconscious on the floor in the foyer. I managed to hit him in the face with the gun." 

 

The man, brown hair with brown eyes and slightly bulky build, whom she'd seen on the news as the Deputy of the county, stared at her for a moment in she thought to be disbelief before barking at the other officers to surround the house. Two of them split off and escorted her to ambulance where the medic checked her over. Mia kept the bag with her and gave the medic a flat look when she asked for it to be handed to the officers or put down. 

 

The two officers, the man was Officer Sanders and the woman was Officer Lance, were kind to her while asking questions. Mia was quick to throw the Dursleys under the bus when asked about her home situation. 

 

"My bedroom's been the cupboard under the stairs for as long as I can remember. They stuck me in there because and I quote, "they don't want me to dirty up the air in the house with my freakish ways." Their expressions turned murderous and Officer Lance who was writing everything down began to squeeze her pencil, her hand white. "You can check in there if you want to. You're probably find some old blood and the like. They had me doing the housework since I was five and I've been cooking since I was seven and a half. If I didn't do it correctly, either Petunia swing the frying pan at my head or I didn't get to eat for the day. Vernon beat me if I did better than his son in school which was almost every week, and Dudley and gang chase me around the neighborhood and beat me if they catch me." 

 

Mia knew that she was being blunt but she didn't care anymore. She wanted out of that house and she wanted out  _now_. 

 

"How did you get better?" Asked the medic, her fury barely suppressed. "Did they take you to the hospital when you were heavily injured? Or did they treat you themselves?" 

 

"Petunia took me to the hospital when my injuries were too much. She always made up some story to get the doctors and nurses to back off. Though she never let them use anesthesia on me. Said it was against our religion or something." Contempt dripped from Mia's tongue. 

 

"I see." The medic flatly stated. "We need to get you checked out at the hospital. Would you like a bottle of water?" 

 

"Yes please. Thank you." She hadn't drunk anything in hours and her throat was a bit parched. 

 

The two officers asked her a few more questions before walking back to the cars. 

 

The medic included a nutrition bar with the water and Mia happily ate that as well. She was almost finished with it when Petunia and Dudley returned from London. 

 

What happened next would forever go down as her most cherished memory and power her patronus for years to come. Petunia and Dudley arrived with Piers Polkiss and his mother in toe to find the house surrounded by police cars, an ambulance, and several news crews that were reporting live what had happened. Even Dumbledore with his handy powers of  _Obliviation_ would be unable to save the Dursleys from this. 

 

The moment Petunia saw Vernon being led out in handcuffs she started shrieking at the officers. Once it was explained and she tried to resist arrest, it took several officers to bring her down and all the neighbors watched the spectacle she made of herself. When they began to read her rights, the whisperings started. Petunia looked around for anyone who would come to her aid only to find them all staring at her like she was the devil. 

 

When she saw Mia in the ambulance she began shrieking at the girl. 

 

"YOU! YOU DID THIS, YOU UNNATURAL FREAK! We should have dumped you in the nearest orphanage or the street the moment we found you on our doorstep! You..." 

 

The rest of her words were muffled by the officers who stuffed her into the back of the car with her husband. 

 

Dudley followed in the back of another car for kicking the officer who tried to get him to the ambulance. The stupid whale threw a tantrum at not getting the ice cream that his mother had apparently promised him. He was still bawling when the cars drove off. 

 

Mia watched this all with a satisfied smile on her face that she hid from everyone. 

 

Life was certainly looking up for her.  


	2. Chapter 2

The next two weeks were filled with questionings, hospital visits, and long discussions with a child psychologist who was driving Mia up the wall with his pointed questions. 

 

Yes, she was abused. Yes, she knew it wasn't something she did, the Dursleys were to blame for it with their incessant need to be normal. No, she did not feel suicidal. Though she was feeling a little homicidal with all the questions aimed at her. 

 

Something in her expression must have showed it because he quickly called the session to a close and led her out. Mrs. Winters, her case worker, greeted her warmly and pulled the young child back to her hospital room. The doctors insisted on keeping her there for the next two weeks to make sure her health was good. Never getting any vaccinations, dental care, or checkups was a crime in their mind and she had heard more than one cursing the Dursleys for the state that they had left her in. 

 

In short, Mia had severe malnutrition and would never reach her true height due to the low calcium she had in her diet up until this point. That saddened her a bit but she quickly trudged on. The scars on her back from Vernon's belting and Dudley's numerous beatings were unable to be removed and the doctors prescribed her a cream that needed to use on it for the next month or so to prevent infections. 

 

The nurses seemed to like her, always giving her little sweets during their checkups and having extra pudding included with her meals. She had gained a lot of weight just on the pudding alone. The vanilla was her favorite. 

 

They even told her that the police had boxed up all her things from the cupboard, one even personally delivering her the box with all her school books inside. The others were being held in storage until her place of residence was decided. 

 

They asked her about the knife found under her pillow to which she warily replied that the house hadn't felt safe when Vernon had one of her alcoholic rages. The officer, a young woman with blonde hair and blue eyes, was quick to end her worries. The psychologist had been the one to suggest that she might have been contemplating suicide so they had to check all options. 

 

Mia was firm in her reply, "I'm not the kind of person to break easily." 

 

She saw a glimmer of respect in all their eyes something that was no doubt hard to gain. A flyer for self defense was pushed into her hands by the female officer before they all left. It was for free at the community center in downtown London and classes were three times a week. Mia didn't know about her circumstances yet so she put it out of her mind for the time being. 

 

She knew for sure she wasn't staying with Marge. The woman and her dog had come to see her a week into her hospital stay and left in a body bag because she had broken her neck falling down a flight of stairs. What a tragedy. Ripper soon followed as he was put down for biting an orderly in the butt. She hadn't shed a tear for the devil dog. 

 

The Dursley's trial was scheduled and held three weeks later and were given sentencing. Vernon got forty years for child abuse, child endangerment, neglect, and attempted murder of a minor, Petunia got thirty-five years for abuse and neglect, and Dudley was sent to a correctional facility to deal with his deplorable behavior. 

 

Vernon and Petunia had tried to get the sentencing shortened but the Judge wouldn't budge. Since Marge was dead, and the Dursleys possessions were confiscated, both their estates were split between Dudley and Mia, and Mia was given a chance to get anything that the police had missed from the house before it would be put on the market to pay the legal bills. 

 

She felt contentment and satisfaction as she watched Vernon and Petunia be handcuffed by the officers and led away. She wouldn't be seeing them again in this life. She'd heard that other prisoners didn't think well of child abusers.  

 

\----------------------//----------------------//----------------------//---------------------- 

 

Soon after the doctors pronounced her fit she was driven to her new home on the outskirts of downtown London in a black car with Mrs. Winters for company.  

 

After five hours of passing the time reading her History textbook, the car pulled to a stop in front of a large white and red building with clear glass doors. There was a security guard at the entrance who escorted them to an office immediately to the right of the doors. 

 

The walls were white and colored with swirling designs of red, blue, or green and the room was filled with elegant but inexpensive furniture. 

 

They were greeted by a stern looking woman named Mrs. Winslow who gave them a tour of the entire area. The first was all classrooms, the second was dorms, the third made up of offices for the caretakers, teachers, and the resident doctor, and the fourth was residences for them. 

 

All the children in the building were former abused, mistreated, or neglected children who were now healing. This was a home dedicated solely to them because most abused children didn't trust easily or weren't as social as others. All the expenses were covered by the government and the kids were expected to complete their studies until they came of age. 

 

The staff to student ratio was quite good enough, as there were only twenty children currently, that Mia was given her own caretaker, Ms. Melody, a twenty-something old woman who liked books and children. Ms. Melody took over the tour soon after Mrs. Winslow was called away on an emergency and led them through the building to the backyard. The whole area was filled with flower gardens, foot high hedges, a small pond, and even had a small playground to the side. Beyond it were thick trees that seemed to form some sort of forest. 

 

They moved to the inside tour and Mia was shown her own room on the 3rd floor. The walls were painted a neutral yellow gold and the door had a gold nameplate with the words E. L. Potter etched on it. A bed and nightstand were placed next to the window on the far wall, the curtain from the window brushing the mattress due to the soft breeze. A chest of drawers stood two feet to the left of the nightstand with the study table, chair, and ceiling high bookcase across from it. All the furniture was all made of a light brown wood, giving the area a homey feeling. 

 

Ms. Melody explained that Mia was allowed to add whatever she wished to the room as long as it was appropriate and lights out was a eleven pm on school days and twelve on weekends. Everyone was expected to be at meals and eat together unless they were excused and the kitchen on every floor was available for snacks. She explained that each room housed two to three children and Mia would likely be getting a roommate in a few months time. 

 

Mrs. Winters was quick to give Mia a business card before she left with a, "In case you need to reach me, dear." 

 

Ms. Melody let her get settled in and asked her to meet in her office tomorrow to finish the paperwork and student schedule. Mia would need to be tested to see which classes fit her best and what activities she would choose to do in her spare time. When Mia mentioned her skill at dancing and languages, Ms. Melody assured her that she would see about adding them to her schedule and accepted the contact information of Madam Brandt and Ms. Hamilton for reference. 

 

"Dinner is at seven and a half sharp at the end of the floor. Just follow the others." She departed with a nod. 

 

Mia exhaled with a sudden and sharp burst of air before dropping her bag down on the desk and taking stock of the room. 

 

It was bigger than she expected it to be, almost the exact size of Dudley's bedroom without all the toys or laundry littering it. There was a door to the bathroom to the right of the desk and another door that led to an empty room the size of what had been Dudley's second bedroom. All her boxed up things stood on the far wall. 

 

Deciding to get it over with, Mia systematically brought out box after box and separated all her things to go in their respective places. Knick knacks were placed on top of the chest of drawers for show, reading books were placed in the top shelves of the bookcase, and school books were placed below them. They even included some of the things she had taken from Dudley's second bedroom with the Judge's permission. 

 

None of her hand-me-downs were anywhere to be found and Mia suspected that they had been thrown out the moment they were spotted. On a hunch she a drawer to find them filled with t-shirts, skirts, jeans, and underclothes that were almost her size. They seemed to be second hand but well kept and preserved. A box of new white trainers were at the bottom with socks and slippers. 

 

Mrs. Winters had been kind enough to take her shopping two days before discharge for a few pairs of clothes to tide her over until discharge. The sandals she wore were the least expensive but most sturdy ones that she'd been able to find in the store. Mia couldn't understand why people paid so much for trainers that only looked good. What a complete waste of money. 

 

Stripping out of her clothes, she chucked them in the laundry basket and took a warm shower, taking her time in the water for the first time in her life. With the Dursleys, her time in the bathroom had been limited to five or ten minutes and Petunia would always drag her out before she could actually get clean. She'd been conscious of the water supply during her hospital stay and only spent enough time to get clean before coming back out. 

 

After a while she dried herself off and chose a green t-shirt and black sweatpants from the selection, making a mental note to thank Ms. Melody for the clothes. They fit her perfectly and she didn't have to hold the underwear up with string anymore. She towel dried her hair before brushing and plaiting it back while it was still wet. It tended to get a lot more curly otherwise. 

 

Grabbing her Maths textbook, Mia set to work on the problems for the next chapter to take her mind off the day. She only let up when the wall clock chimed seven o'clock to make her down to dinner. She hoped that the cooks had made something meaty. She'd been getting the oddest craving for it lately. 

 

\----------------------//----------------------//----------------------//---------------------- 

 

Surprisingly Mia fit in well with everyone in the group home, though she kept to herself and her studies when she could. Testing for classes revealed to her teachers that she was at a level that most students would be expected to have when studying for GCSEs. Questioning disclosed that Mia had been invited to skip at least two years during her time at St. Grogory's by teachers who saw her intelligence was beyond those of her year mates, but the Dursleys had put their foot down and refused flatly when asked. 

 

Mia's "If Dudley couldn't do it then I wasn't allowed to" enraged quite a few of her teachers. But the fact that she had studied on her own time rather than letting her skills languish made them all hold her in high esteem. The teachers held the idea that with private tutoring and testing Mia would be able to complete her GCSEs in perhaps one or two years. They filled up her schedule with a large number of classes such as English Language, English Literature, Maths, Biology, Physics, Chemistry, French, Latin, Geography, Economics, Art and Design, Home Economics, and Accounting. 

 

After corresponding with Madam Brandt, Ms. Melody signed her up for classes at the local studio using her monthly £200 pounds government stipend. The classes only cost £10 pounds a week so she was able to save most of the money for clothes or books and it continued to grow each month when there was £50 or £100 pounds left over. Mia was a rather frugal shopper and because food and board was already provided, she didn't see the need to spend all her money on something frivolous and unnecessary. 

 

Madam Brandt met with her once a month to check on her progress and Ms. Hamilton also called once a month to talk about her classes and recommend new books for Mia to read. She quite liked their conversations as they were some of the few people who didn't talk down to her like she was an idiot because of her age. 

 

Of course things changed rather drastically on July 24th, only days away from her 11th birthday. 

 

\----------------------//----------------------//----------------------//---------------------- 

 

Classes were off for the day because of the hard work that Mia had been doing so she generally lazed about or read a book soon after getting ready for the day. After a breakfast of eggs, waffles, two pieces of bacon, and a large glass of milk, Mia went back to her room to read the new book she had purchased as her birthday present. 

 

Instead she had to deal with a visitor only moments after she closed the door to her room. The knock on the door had her head whipping up in annoyance before she set down the new Alanna the Lioness book and called for whoever if was to enter. 

 

In came Mrs. Winslow and a old woman who was dressed like a school teacher. She had brown hair wrapped into a tight bun, brown eyes, and a slightly pinched look about her mouth. And she was staring at Mia as if she wasn't what she had expected. 

 

"Can I help you?" Mia's flat tone seemed to break her out of the trance. 

 

"Mia. This is Professor Minerva McGonagall from Hogwarts School for the Gifted. You've been accepted and she's here to talk with you about you about it." Mrs. Winslow explained. 

 

Mia's eyebrows drew up. "I never applied to a Hogwarts. I haven't applied anywhere yet." 

 

"Hogwarts chooses who to accept, Ms. Potter." Professor McGonagall voice was stern. "You're parents attended after turning eleven and the children of alumni are always the first to get picked. You're name was entered after you were born and due to your high grades you were selected." 

 

Mrs. Winslow made her goodbyes and closed the door. 

 

Using manners Ms. Melody had drilled into her head after finding out her relatives hadn't bothered, she invited the professor to sit on the empty bed while remaining in her chair. 

 

The woman looked around while she did so, her eyes taking in the bookshelf stuffed full, the ballet shoes lying on the desk, and the whiteboard Mia had recently bought containing mathematical equations she was expected to memorize for class this week. She didn't know what the woman was thinking about all this but Mia was patient and she could wait to learn why someone from school she had never even heard of was giving her an acceptance letter. 

 

After long minutes passed she turned to Mia and pulled out an envelope from her pocket. 

 

"Now, Ms. Potter. Before we get this started may I ask why you are not still living with your relatives?" 

 

At this, Mia's eyes sharpened into cold chips of ice and McGonagall had to stop herself from flinching. No one in this building mentioned the Dursleys or what had happened to them. Ever. So the fact that someone was talking about them  _in front of her_  was  _irritating_. And things tended to explode when she was irritated. 

 

" _Excuse me_?" 


	3. Chapter 3

Minerva McGonagall knew from the moment she had stepped into the building that something was very, very wrong. Euphemia Potter, the Girl-Who-Lived, and daughter of one of her favorite students shouldn't even be here. She should have been in the home of her relatives with the blood wards to protect her like Dumbledore had said. She knew she'd been right! Those muggles wren't fit to raise a magical child much less than their own spoiled one. 

 

When she had first seen the enchanted quill write out the wrong address a small pool of dread had settled into her heart. Maybe the child had run away? Then why hadn't Albus told her about it? Her safety was  _paramount_ considering the number of Death Eaters that had gotten off by claiming Imperious. 

 

Instead of heading straight for Dumbledore's office and demanding that the foolish man answer her questions, she had taken the acceptance letter, transfigured her robes into muggle clothes, and apparated nearby to the location. It was only after she had met to the head caretaker of the "group home" that she realized monumental disaster of what had happened. 

 

Euphemia Potter had been removed from the Dursleys by the muggle Aurors for harming her. The caretaker wouldn't tell her what had happened other than the fact that the elder Dursleys were in jail for the next forty years and their son had been sent to a correctional facility. The very people that Dumbledore had  _sworn_ would keep her safe due to the blood wards. If the coot had been lying Minerva was going to strangle him with that beard of his! 

 

Now she was sitting in front of the very child she had come here for and wanted very much to run out the door. Those eyes, like chips of ice, didn't belong on a girl her age. And the fact they had become so because she had mentioned the Dursleys sent alarm bells ringing through her mind. 

 

"Excuse me?" She could practically hear the rage dripping from those words and suddenly wished she could take back her spontaneous question. 

 

" _Why_ do ask about the Dursleys? You have no business even knowing about them!" 

 

Knowing that she had to tread carefully and the fact that Euphemia obviously knew nothing about magic, Minerva took a deep breath and spoke. 

 

"All will be answered in a moment, Ms. Potter." She held out the envelope. "Please read the letter first." 

 

When she just stared at her in disbelief, Minerva clucked her tongue at the girl who took it carefully. Opening it, Mia had just read the first two lines before flicking her eyes up. 

 

"Is this some kind of joke?" 

 

"I assure you, Ms. Potter, this is not a joking matter." Minerva pulled out her wand and transfigured the book on the desk into a mouse. Rather than jumping or staring mesmerized as most did, Mia picked up the small mouse carefully and lightly petted it. It closed its eyes and seemed to be enjoying the touch. The next words out of her mouth had Minerva staring at the girl in shock. 

 

"So  _that’s_  how I was able to appear onto the school roof." 

 

"Pardon?" Minerva almost squeaked. 

 

Mia waved her hand dismissively as if she hadn't said anything odd. 

 

"I've been doing uncontrollable magic since I was young. The Dursleys always punished me for it. Didn't know what the hell was happening other than the fact that weird things always happened around me. I was running one minute and on the school roof the next." 

 

Minerva's brain didn't seem to be computing. Apparition?! And that young?! 

 

"I turned a teacher's wig blue, shrunk an old jumper of Dudley's that Petunia tried to put on me, made my hair grow back the next day after Petunia sheared it bald, and broke glass during one of Vernon's beatings." 

 

"Beatings?" Miverna says faintly. 

 

"They did that almost every time that I did magic. That, or send me to the cupboard without any food for the next few days." 

 

"Cupboard?"  _Was there an echo in here?_  Mia thought. 

 

"That was my room for the past ten years. They didn't want me dirtying up the air with my freakishness so they stuffed me in there soon after they found me on the doorstep." Her emerald eyes flicked to her's. "Which begs the question of who would leave a  _baby_ on the doorstep of someone who doesn't even want it, on one of the coldest nights of the year when any animal walking by could harm it?" 

 

Minerva could practically feel the contempt dripping from the words. She felt ashamed. How could have done that to a child? At the time she had thought that it was a good idea. But apparently not. 

 

Unbiddingly, the words began to pour out of Minerva's mouth like water. 

 

"At the time of your parents' murder there was no one from your father's family alive to take you in. So your custody went to the next-of-kin, your mother's sister, Petunia Dursley." Minerva began. 

 

"Murder?" Mia interrupted. "They were murdered? How? And who placed me there?" 

 

"Petunia didn't tell you this?" 

 

"She said they died drunk in a car crash." Mia said it matter of factly. 

 

"That’s absurd!" Minerva snapped. "Your parents were James and Lily Potter. At the time of their death there was a civil war was occurring in the magical world. They went into hiding a year before the end and stayed so until their location became known to You-Know-Who and--" 

 

"Who?" Mia asked. 

 

"You-Know-Who." 

 

"No. I don't know who." This was getting annoying. Would it kill these people to use names? 

 

Minerva sighed and shuddered. "Fine. I'll only say his name this once. His name was Voldemort and--" 

 

"Voldemort?!" Mia says exasperatedly, watching how McGonagall flinches at the name. "What kind of pretentious name is  _Voldemort_? It's French for Flight from Death. Even a five year old could come up with a better name than  _that_." She was beginning to wonder if the British magicals even have an ounce of sense. 

 

Minerva shuddered at her use of the dreaded name. "Please do not say the name out loud Ms. Potter. Even if he is gone people still fear his name." 

 

Mia looked at her like she had a few screws loose. "It's a  _name_. And I don't particularly care what other people think." 

 

Rather than argue, Minerva continued the story. "After You-Know-Who discovered your parents' location he went to the house on Halloween of 1981 and killed them using the Killing Curse, one of three unforgivable spells that were made illegal by the Ministry centuries ago. The use of even one of them will result in a life sentence to Azkaban, our prison. After your parents' death he went to kill you and sent the killing curse only to have it rebound on him and destroy him. It's what gave you that lightning bolt scar on your forehead. Because you were the only one to survive the Killing Curse in memory and because You-Know-Who vanished soon after, you were hailed as the Girl-Who-Lived. You are quite famous in our world. There isn't a child who doesn't know your name." 

 

So she was going to have to deal with idiot jockeying for her favor because she lived while her parents died? Wonderful. This just went to show that people really could be idiots. No doubt they had her on some sort of pedestal. This was going to be a nightmare to deal with. And she hated dealing with people. 

 

"And who placed me there?" The woman still hadn't answered the question. 

 

"Albus Dumbledore. The Headmaster of Hogwarts, Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, our body of government, and Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards." 

 

Goodness. That was a lot of pretentious titles. 

 

"And by what authority did he have for not reading my parents' Will and placing me with the ones they had chosen? I assume they had written a will as they did go into hiding. Did they make no plans in case they were killed?" She spotted a hell of a lot of holes in the story that she didn't even know where to begin. But Albus Dumbledore seemed like a good idea. The man had too many titles and too much power. She needed to learn more about him. 

 

Professor McGonagall seemed shocked. "I assure you Ms. Potter. Albus Dumbledore is most trustworthy. He is held in high regard by the Wizarding world and---" 

 

"I don't care if he is the Queen of England! He had no authority to place me in an abusive home and not even bothering to check on my wellbeing." Mia snapped. She took a deep breath and calmed down. Her temper would do her no favors. Not this time. 

 

Deciding to change the subject she looked back over the supplies list. Where on earth was she going to buy a  _cauldron_? "And just where am I suppose to get the supplies or the money to pay for all this?" She knew her bank account was slightly full, around £300 pounds, but she didn't want to touch it since it was her emergency fund. 

 

Professor McGonagall looked slightly relieved at getting to she felt was a safer topic. "Diagon Alley in London behind the pub, the Leaky Cauldron, has all the supplies that you will need for classes. And you will not need to worry about money. The Potter Family was quite wealthy and as the sole heir you stand to inherit quite a sum. You're parents had a Trust Vault set up for you at Gringotts, the wizarding bank, soon after your birth." 

 

She stood and motioned towards the door. "Shall we go?" 

 

Mia nodded and grabbed the  _Lord of the Rings_  book that still had her extra cash, stuffing both it and her letter in a small bag Ms. Melody had gotten her for outings. 

 

They made their way outside and Mia watched as Professor McGonagall put some sort of compulsion charm on the caretakers to allow her to take Mia shopping for school supplies for the day. She watched at the woman brought them to the alley on the corner of the building, away from prying eyes, and held out her arm towards Mia. 

 

"The form of transportation we are about to take is Apparition. If you will hold onto my arm, please?" The moment Mia did, she felt as if she was being squeezed through a tube to be spit out on the other end. She stumbled slightly from the landing before turning to look around. 

 

They were now in downtown London, miles from where she had just been standing. Cars honked, people talked, and there was the smell of food and the London smog in the air. 

 

"This way Ms. Potter." Professor McGonagall led her to a small pub set between the bookshop and records store. 

 

"Where exactly are we?" Mia didn't recognize the area. But considering that she hadn't been in London before that wasn't a surprise. 

 

"Charing Cross Road in downtown London. The Leaky Cauldron is spelled to be invisible to the eyes of the muggles, the non-magicals." She explained. The bell tingled on the door as it opened and Mia walked in.  

 

She wasn't very pleased with what she saw. The entire room was dark and dingy and nothing looked like it had been cleaned in a while. Patrons of different appearances sat at the table or bar stools, some eating, some drinking, and all talking with each other.  

 

Professor McGonagall walked her through the pub, not stopping to speak with anyone, until they reached the other side where there was a brick wall with a trash can next to it. About to ask what they were doing here Mia opened her mouth just as Professor McGonagall tapped the bricks with her wand and an archway begins to form. 

 

Mia admitted that she is slightly mesmerized by the hustle and bustle of the alley, the number of shops, and the general magical air of the place. She followed closely behind Professor McGonagall as she tore through the street with air of purpose. The crowd seemed to part on her way. Mia's eyes roved over the stores at the many different things that they seemed to sell. 

 

A soft hoot from Eeylops Owl Emporium had her looking at a bright snowy owl with amber eyes. She, and Mia assumed it was a she, looked at everything with the eye of someone rather bored. The moment their eyes met, the Snowy clacked her beak at Mia as if telling her off for staring. 

 

Smirking in return, Mia walked quickly to keep up with Professor McGonagall as she came up the steps of Gringotts Wizarding Bank. The Bank towered over the other little shops and looked to be made completely of marble. 

 

The Goblins at the entrance were quite ferocious looking and as Professor McGonagall explained, were the best bankers in the Wizarding World, though she should never show insult to a goblin, as they were smart, cunning, and known to hold a grudge for a very long time. 

 

The goblins at the entrance bowed them in and they came to another gate where another set of goblins bowed them inside. The warning at the door had Mia quirking her lips up im amusement. 

 

 _Enter, stranger, but take heed_  

 _Of what awaits the sin of greed,_  

 _For those who take, but do not earn,_  

 _Must pay most dearly in their turn._  

 _So if you seek beneath our floors_  

 _A treasure that was never yours,_  

 _Thief, you have been warned, beware_  

 _Of finding more than treasure there._  

 

How ferociously blood-thirsty of them. 

 

Professor McGonagall and Mia moved over to a free counter and Mia observed everything around her while Minerva talked to the goblin at the counter.  

 

The hall was vast marble. About a hundred more goblins were sitting on high stools behind a long counter, scribbling in large ledgers, weighing coins in brass scales, or examining precious stones through eyeglasses. There were too many doors to count leading off the hall, and yet more goblins were showing people in and out of these. 

 

When she produced Mia's key and handed it to the head goblin, Mia's eyes narrowed. "Professor McGonagall? How did you get my key?" 

 

The woman seemed to rather startled at the question but quickly trudged through. "Headmaster Dumbledore kept the key safe after your parents' death, to be given to you after your Hogwarts letter." 

 

Dumbledore again. His name seemed to be popping up everywhere. 

 

"And why did he have it? He was not related to me, nor is he my guardian. Shouldn't the bank have the key and have given it to me after my identity was verified?" 

 

She seemed to have no answer, he mouth opening and closing like a fish. Mia ignored this and turned to the goblin who was now looking at them in fascination. 

 

"I would like to speak with someone about my finances. Will I need to make an appointment?" 

 

He smiled with all his sharp teeth on full display. "First your identity will need to be verified. At which point you will be given an appointment with your account manager sometime this week." He stepped down from the pedestal and began to walk towards a hallway. "If you would follow me." 

 

Mia, not even bothering to look at Professor McGonagall, immediately followed. Professor McGonagall, on the other hand, stood there for some time before snapping out of her daze and running behind her. They were led through the hallway to an office set out of the way, the nameplate on the door reading,  _Office of Inheritance and Identity Verification_. 

 

The short goblin knocked on the door and opened it once the voice inside screeched out, "Enter!" 

 

Mia followed soon behind along with Professor McGonagall. The office was medium sized and the walls made of marble just like everything in the Bank. A rather stout goblin sat at the only desk in the room, scribbling away at something, only looking up when the teller cleared his throat. 

 

"Yes?" His beady black eyes impatiently flicked from Mia to McGonagall. 

 

The teller cleared his throat before speaking. "Ms. Potter would like to speak with her account manager about her finances. We need verification before proceeding." 

 

"Ah, yes. I suppose you do." He seemed to sneer. He opened a drawer on the desk and pulled out a piece of what looked to be the same parchment used for her school letter. 

 

Handing Mia a knife he pushed the parchment towards her. "Put three drops of blood on the parchment. This will verify your identity." 

 

A bit fascinated by the magic that could test someone's DNA quicker than an non-magical machine could, Mia pricked her left thumb and let three drops fall onto the paper. It seemed to glow slightly before letters started appearing. The goblin at the desk moved the parchment towards him and took the knife back, healing the cut with a wave of his hand. 

 

He went back to reading out loud from the parchment. "Euphemia Lily Potter. Age eleven, born July 31st, 1980. Daughter of Lily Evans Potter and James Henry Potter. Your identity had been verified." Her turned to the teller. "Make her an appointment with her account manager as soon as possible. There's no telling what state her finances are in after a decade of no use." 

 

The teller nodded and began to herb them back through the door. Mia sent out a brief, "Thank you!" To the goblin before continuing, not seeing the look of shock that had crossed his face. 

 

They were seen back to the counter and given a appointment with Nagnok for July 27th at two o'clock before a goblin called Griphook took them to Mia's Trust Vault. Professor McGonagall had been suspiciously quiet through all this, answering Mia's question when needed, but keeping her own council on what had happened. 

 

As the exchange rate happened to be £25 pounds to a Galleon, Mia had Griphook convert 25 Galleons to pounds but putting 75 Galleons into the money pouch she was given. He also explained that giving an impression of her Vault key and a drop of blood for larger purchases was another way of paying at stores without needing to make continuous trips to her Vault. 

 

Thanking him for his time, Mia and Professor McGonagall left Gringotts and immediately made for the Trunk Shop. And rather than get the standard school trunk, Mia quizzed the shop owner left and right before designing a trunk that she wanted to last for years to come. She didn't want it breaking down early and she wanted organization.  

  

The trunk, made of dark walnut wood, clasped with silver, and inlaid with her initials, possessed four compartments. One for clothes and shoes, another for supplies, and another for personal use. The last compartment held a large bookcase which could be pulled out of the trunk at will. Mia planned to buy a lot of books. At her request, the trunk maker also added several charms; fire-proofing, water-repellent, a feather-light charm, and a shrinking feature with a tap of her wand. This way she wouldn't have to carry the weight around all the time. 

 

Once the purchase was wrung up, Mia handed her key to the trunk maker and a drop of her blood to the parchment before grabbing her newest purchase and walking out the door. They stopped at Madam Malkin's for robes where Mia had to control herself so as not to commit homicide. A pointy-chinned, blonde haired, magical version of Dudley kept bothering her even after she gave indication that she didn't want to talk with him. 

 

The idiot finally shut up when she told him that unless he had something important to say then he should keep his mouth shut unless he wanted his tongue ripped out. Professor McGonagall seemed scandalized but Mia could care less. She didn’t deal well with annoyances and in her opinion, the brat had been asking for it. 

 

Potions ingredients came next, followed by a cauldron, an astronomy telescope, and a wand. The misty eyed old man in the store had been creepy as hell and Mia could care less about the fact that her wand was brother to Voldemort's. It wasn't like she was going to go on a rampage and kill everyone in sight so why should she care what others thought of it? 

 

A quick stop at Eyelops had Mia walking back out with the same Snowy owl she had seen in the window. She was a thing of beauty and quickly warmed up to Mia after being fed an owl treat personally by hand. Mia had decided to forgo the customary cage and gotten a perch, water and food bow, and a package of owl treats to last until the holidays. 

 

The moment she stepped foot into Flourish and Blotts, Mia got a look in her eye that had Professor McGonagall wondering is would lose the daughter of her favorite student to Ravenclaw. Mia immediately grabbed a large red basket next to the teller and started systematically throwing books in. 

 

School books went in first, followed by supplementary material, and then those on elective subjects taught at Hogwarts. She had the clerk who was following them around bring her the second and third year set of books for future reading, all the while going through the subjects that were not taught at Hogwarts. Though Professor McGonagall obviously thought she was spending too much on books the woman didn't say anything against it. 

 

Her purchases raised an eyebrow with the cashier who mumbled something about a future Ravenclaw before placing all her shrunken books into a complementary school bag with feather-light and interior extension charms. It was quite nice and Mia made sure to tip the man two Galleons in thanks. 

 

As it was almost close to dinner, Professor McGonagall led them back to the Leaky Cauldron for steak, mashed potatoes, gravy, and a salad. The food seemed to be quite nice despite the appearance of the place and Mia was quick to attack as soon as the plate was set down in front of her. 

 

Professor McGonagall seemed to be deep in thought, deciding on whether or not to ask her something. After a few moments she swallowed her bite and spoke. 

 

"Ms. Potter. I apologize if this offends you but...may I ask what happened to the Dursleys?" 

 

Rather than snap back her like expected, Mia continued to nibble her food lightly while talking. "Vernon and Petunia are in jail for child abuse, neglect, and attempted murder of a minor. They're not getting out for at least forty years if not more. The judge didn't take too kindly to finding out that my bedroom had been the cupboard under the stairs for the past ten years as he has a daughter my age. And Dudley's been sent to a corrections facility for amend his behavior. His parents spoiled him enough that he's become a baby psychopath." 

 

"I see." She says faintly. The rest of dinner was quiet. 

 

\----------------------//----------------------//----------------------//---------------------- 

 

After paying the bill, Professor McGonagall showed Mia another form of transportation, the Knight Bus. The ride was exhilarating and she'd never had so much fun in her life! The best part was it cut her travel time into minutes if not seconds. 

 

Shortly before leaving Professor McGonagall placed compulsion charms on all the caretakers to allow Mia to leave the building whenever she wished for as long as she wanted. This way she would be able to visit Diagon Alley without causing trouble. Mia was also given a golden ticket for the Hogwarts Express with instructions to enter platform nine and three-quarters through the barrier between platforms 9 and 10.

 

Odd, but doable.

 

Rather than immediately take a cat-nap with how tired she was feeling, Mia unshrunk the trunk and pulled out  _Hogwarts: A History_ and immediately started reading. 

 

She wanted to know more about the school she would be living in for most of the year. And it's secrets. Secrets were the life's blood of any society. She'd seen enough of it while watching Petunia and Vernon talk about the lives of neighbors and coworkers. Things that those people didn't seem to want others to find out. 

 

Secrets were valuable and she wanted to know enough to keep herself and those whom she might make under her protection, safe. 

 

\----------------------//----------------------//----------------------//---------------------- 

 

 **Meanwhile at Hogwarts...**  

 

Minerva McGonagall arrived back in her office soon after dropping off Euphemia Potter and was now faced with a conundrum. 

 

Upon discovering the fate of the Dursleys she should have immediately gone to Albus and told him about what had happened, ensuring that the Girl-Who-Lived was placed with a suitable guardian as the blood wards were no longer an option. 

 

But finding that Dumbledore had neglected the girl and never even bothered to check in on her to see if she was doing well, her trust in the old man had taken quite a dive. 

 

She wasn't sure if he would once again place the child into a another abusive environment or not. And Euphemia Potter didn't seem to the kind of person to give anyone a second chance. That much was clear from the way the child held herself and those  _eyes_. They were as cold and unforgiving as the Black Lake in winter when she found it had been Dumbledore who had placed her with the Dursleys.

 

So Minerva kept her mouth shut and decided to see how things unfolded. It wasn't like anyone other than her knew where the girl now resided so she was likely just as safe as she would have been behind blood wards. 

**Author's Note:**

> Updates may be only once a month or once every few weeks, depending on my muse.


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